Vending machine



Sept. 22, 1953 F. s. MASON 2,652,916

VENDING MACHINE Sept. 22, 1953 F. s. MASON VENDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 18, 1947 INVENTOR. 4% /w me' 7 f WWW f CVofwg/S.

Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines of the general type shown in Patents No, 1,316,492 of September 16, 1919J and No. 1,321,333 cf November 1l, 1919, in which chewing gum or other articles in the form of balls of substantiaily spherical form are dispensed.

One c.. the objects of this invention is to provide a machine of this type of improved construction which is thoroughly efficient and reliable in operation, and which can be easily constructed at relatively low cost, and in which the articles to he dispensed are kept in a sanitary and cleanly condition, Another object of this machine is to provide means of improved construction for lock the parts of the machine together so that neither the articles to be dispensed or the coins collected for the sale of the articles can be re moved from the machine unless the same is unlocked. Another object is to provide a locking device for a machine of this type by means of which the machine itself may also be locked to a support. Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of this type which is so formed that the parts thereof can be easily assembled and disassembled. A further object is to provide a machine of this kind with means for preventing damage to balls or spheres arranged above those to he dispensed. A further object is to provide means of improved construction for enabling the machine to operate successfully if two or more coins are inserted simultaneously. A further obliect is to provide means of improved construction for locking the article carrier against movement and for releasing the same to dispense articles after a coin has been inserted into the machine. Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a central sectional elevation of the vending machine embodying this invention, the section being taken on line I-l Fig. 2, the article magazine on the upper portion oi the machine being partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof, approximately online 2-2, Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional elevations thereof, approximately on line 3 3, Fig. 2, the parts of the machine being shown in different positions in the two gures.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively fragmentary sectional elevations thereof, on lines 5-5 and 5-t, Fig. 2,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional plan view thereof, on line 1 -"l, Fig. 1.

The machine shown in the drawings and which discloses by way of exarnpln one embodiment of this invention, includes a base in the form of a container having an annular side Wall it, to the lower portion of which a bottom wali l l is suitably secured, for example, by turning the edges of the bottom Wall li over the lower edge ci the annuia-r wall id. The lower Iportion of this housing forms a container for the coins deposited in the machine, and this portion of the housing also has an inclined article discharge chute or trough i2 suitably secured to the annular side wall it and extending through a hole in the same to the exterior of the machine. The outer end of the trough is formed with an upwardly inclined part,

.ning a receptacle iii for holding the spheriicles in the lower end of the trough until cal a they lifted out of this receptacle by the pur- Chaser.

A lid or cover I7 is hinged on the annular wall of the base and normally covers the receptacle for the articles and preferably this lid has a -wnvfard extension I8, which also serves as a stop for the articles so that they will be retained in the receptacle l5 until the lid or cover l'l is lifted by the purchaser to remove the article. This cover or lid may be mounted on the annular Wall id in any suitable manner. For example, a hinge bracket it may be riveted or otherwise secured to the wall i9 above the hole ifi therein and is provided. with lugs or extensions 20 through which hinge pins may pass for engagement with parts of the cover Il'. Any other means for providing a cover for the discharge pocket i5 of the machine may be provided. 'I'his cover keeps dust and other foreign matter from becoming deposited in the pocket i5 and thus makes the machine more sanitary.

Preferably a trap door 22 is also provided within the discharge chute i2, the door shown being provided with projections or hinge pintles which enter into holes formed in the sides of the trough l2. This trap door excludes flies or other insects and also maires it impossible for any one to insert a wire or other implement into the trough for the purpose of tampering with the machine.

The upper portion or" the base of the machine is covered hy means of a pan 25 which has an upwardly extending annular Wall 25 formed to telesecpe within the annular Wall I il of the base, and the upper edge of the wall 25 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 2l formed to rest on the upper edge of the annular side Wall l 9. This pan supports the coin controlled mechanism and the mechanism for discharging articles to the trough l2. For this purpose, the axial portion of the pan is provided with an upright post 29 suitably secured thereto in any suitable manner- Within the pan is arranged a coin carrier 3E! which is of sector shape and which preferably has a flange 3i at the outer peripheral portion thereof adjacent to the upright wall 2S of the pan. This coin carrier has a partly circular recess at the inner or axial portion thereof which extends partly about the post v29, and forms a pivotal connection about which the coin carrier may swing aboutthe post. The coin carrier is held in place with reference to other parts of the machine by the side wall 26 of the pan and y the partly circular aperture which extends partly about the post. This coin carrier is arranged to move about the axis of the post to a limited extent, and the limits of movement of the coin carrier are defined by upwardly extending lugs or stop projections 32 and 33 of the pan 25. The coin carrier is preferably made of sheet metal and is provided with a handle 35 which is preferably also formed integral therewith. This handle extends through registering slots in the upright wall 26 of the pan and in the annular wall Il! of the housing so as to be readily accessible from the interior of the machine. Suitable resilient means are provided for normally urging the coin carrier into the position shown in Fig. 2, in which an edge thereof engages the stop 32. Any suitable resilient means may be provided for this purpose, and in the construction shown, a coil or spiral spring 35 is provided for this purpose, one end of the spring being bent inwardly and extending into a slot 3l formed in the upright post 29, and the other end of the spring is formed into a hook which engages an upright projection or post 38 which is preferably formed integral with the coin carrier and which may be formed by partly cutting out some of the metal of the coin carrier and bending a part of this metal upwardly to form the post 38. Any other suitable type of spring may be employed, such for example as a wire spring which may extend into a loop 39, Fig. '7, pressed out of the coin carrier itself. In order to hold the coin carrier in close proximity to the bottom of the pan 25, a lip or projection 4) is preferably pressed out of the side 2S of the pan so as to extend over the outwardly extending flange 3| of the coin carrier, and this lip or projection cooperates with the slots in the walls 26 and Ill through which the handle 35 extends, to limit the extent to which the coin carrier may be raised upwardly from the pan 25.

The pan is also provided with a perforation or slot 4| therein, see particularly Figs. 3 and 4, through which a coin may drop into the base.

The coin carrier preferably has an arc-shaped portion thereof partly cut out of a flat portion of the carrier and bent upwardly to form an arcuate upwardly extending ledge or projection including an upwardly extending web 42 and a horizontally extending flange 133, see particularly Figs. 3, 4 and 5. A part of this flange 43 is provided with a slot formed to receive a coin H5. A portion of the flange 43 at the coin slot is bent downwardly, as indicated at 47, to lie substantially parallel to the upwardly extending web 62, thus forming a portion of inverted U-shape with the slot 44 therein into which a coin or token may enter. The coin then rests on the upper face of the pan and will be held in substantially upright position during movement of the coin carrier by the web 42 and the downwardly bent part 41. The upper edges of the web 42 and the part 41 adjacent to the coin slot may be beveled, as indicated at 48, to facilitate insertion of a coin into the slot. This coin receptacle in the coin carrier is so arranged that when the coin carrier is moved against the action of the spring 36 into engagement with the stop 33, the coin will be dropped through the slot 4l in the pan, into the base of the machine.

Above the coin carrier and within the pan is arranged an article or ball carrier 50 of circular form and preferably formed of a disk of metal having a central aperture through which the post 29 may extend for guiding the article carrier in its movement of rotation, and the article carrier also has at its outer edge a downwardly extending flange 5I. The article carrier is also provided with a series of pockets for the articles or balls to be dispensed and each pocket is preferably formed by means of a short tubular part 52 having its upper edges 53 flaring outwardly. These tubular parts are secured within apertures formed in the article carrier, each of these apertures preferably being provided with an integrally formed downwardly extending flange 54. The tubular parts 52 may be pressed into the flanges 54 or may be otherwise secured to the article carrier,

The flange 5I of the article carrier is also provided with a series of outwardly extending tongues 55, these tongues being preferably formed integral with the flange 5I and formed of metal partly cut out of the flange and bent over to extend outwardly therefrom, see particularly Figs. 2, 3 and 4. One of these tongues is provided for each article pocket, and theI tongues are preferably inclined or beveled, so that during rotation of the carrier in a clockwise direction in Fig. 2, the leading edges of the tongues will be lower than the opposite edges thereof, see particularly Figs. 3 and 4. These tongues are so arranged that when a coin is held in the coin slot of the coin carrier and advanced from the receiving position to the discharge position, the coin will engage a tongue 55 and thus advance the coin and the article carrier into a position in which an article 55 may be discharged from a pocket to the trough i2.

It frequently happens that two coins are dropped into the coin chute at one time and the second coin 45a will then first rest on the top edge of the first coin. When the coin carrier is swung by means of the handle 35, so that the first coin 45 no longer supports the second coin 45a, then the second coin will be supported by the arc-shaped flange 43, Fig. 4. When the first coin engages a tongue 55 of the article carrier and swings this carrier through an arc of a circle, the tongue 55 in rear of the tongue engaged by the coin 45 must pass under the second coin 45a and by inclining or bevelling the tongues 55, the leading edge of the tongue 55 will engage the second coin 45a near the lower portion thereof, so that this tongue will easily raise the second coin 45a and move past the second coin into position to be engaged by the second coin after the iirst coin is discharged. When the coin carrier 3D is returned to its starting position, the second coin will roll from the flange 43 into the coin pocket of the coin carrier, whereupon the machine may be operated again. If the handle 35 is moved back in a counterclockwise direction before the first coin is discharged, the first coin will engage the second coin and raise the same.

so that neither coin will be locked or wedged in the machine.

The coin carrier is also provided with an aperture 51 therein large enough to permit an article to drop through the same when this aperture is in registration with a corresponding aperture 58 formed in the bottom of the pan 25 :and arranged directly above the trough i2, see Figs. l and '7. The parts are so arranged that when a coin is in the coin carrier, it will, when the handle 35 is moved in a. clockwise direction, engage a tongue 55 and advance the article carrier sufciently to place one of the article receiving pockets therein in alignment with the discharge aperture B of the pan. However, during this movement, the unperforated portion of the coin carrieris below the pocket on the article carrier. When the coin carrier is moved to the limit of its movemrnt engagement with the stop coin will drop from the coin carrier through the slot di of the pan and into the base of the machine. Then b .n the handle 35 is released or moved iti .he opposite direction, so that the coin carrier engages the stop 32, the hole 5l' in the coin carrier will also be in registration with one of the pockets of the article carrier and with the discharge aperture 58 in the pan, as shown in Fig. l, so that the article 56 can then be discharged into the trough I2. By first depositing the coin at one end of the movement of the carrier and then discharging article at the other end of the movement thereof, the manipulation of the machine in such a manner that more than one article can be discharged by the ci a coin is impossible.

In order to the operation of the machine more positive, an improved combined spring and detent inem ser is provided which serves the purpose of locking the article carrier except when `actuated by coin and also of urging the coin through the coin discharge slot so that the machine will not become inoperative because of sticking of a coin in the coin handling mechanism. This spring member is formed of a hat piece of spring metal te, which has a hub portion ti provided with an aperture through which the upper end of the post 29 extends. The upper reduced end oi the post may be threaded to receive a nut 62 for securing the spring member 69 and the article carrier 5t in operative relation to the post. The spring member 5t may be retained in xed relation to the oscillatory parts of the mechanism in any suitable or desired manner, and in the construction illustrated, the spring member is provided at its peripheral portion with an upwardly bent lug or tongue 53. The side wall 2@ of the pan is provided with a slot therein through which the tongue 63 may extend for holding the spring member in fixed relation to the pan.

means of this construction, the spring meinber also acts as a brace for the central post 2S.

The spring member is provided with a spring arm E55 formed integral therewith, see particularly Fig. 2, and this arm is provided at its outer end with a downwardly extending projection such as a pin @-5. The article carrier is provided with a series of holes tl therein into which the pin or projection te may enter to hold the article carrier in various positions in each of which an article pocket thereof is in registration with the article discharge aperture 5?, of the pan. The arm t5 is so formed that it normally urges the pin downwardly through any of the holes 6l in the article carrier.

In order to make it possible for the article carrierto -be turned, means are provided for' raising the free end of the spring arm 65 to remove the pin 66 out of one of the holes B7, and this is prefbly accomplished by the coin or token. For ""i purpose, the spring arm 65 has a lateral extension 69 of substantially inverted trough shape and having upwardly flaring ends, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This extension 69 is arranged in the path of movement of the coin from its receiving position to its discharge position, and as shown in Fig. 4, when the coin i5 is moved to the left from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4, the coin will move under the inverted trough-shaped extension 69 of the spring arm 65 and thus raise the arm sufliciently to move the pin d@ out of one of the holes 6l in the article carrier. Immediately after the pin has been raised, the coin engages one of the tongues 55 and thus moves the article carrier into a position in which the hole 6l therein is out of registration with the pin 66 of the spring arm. Consequently, when the spring arm is released by iur-the movement of the coin or token beyond the extension 59 of the spring arm, the pin 56 will rest upon the flat upper surface or" the article carrier until another hole Si into position to permit the pin to enter the whereupon the article carrier is again locked against further rotation. In the .at the arm 35 is moved backwardly bemoved to the end of its path of movesmh, ...n readily move under the extension iid. The extension 69 also serves to hold the coin cr token d5 in correct relation with reference to a tongue 55 so as to ensure the correct engagement ci the coin with the tongue, and if two coins are inserted into the machine at one time, the second coin, as clearly shown in Fig. d, will be held against movement with the coin carrier by the edge of the extension 69.

lt is also desirable to provide the spring mem- 'cer with means for yieldingly pressing the coin toward and partly through the coin discharge slot d! so as to ensure passage of the coin into base of the machine. For this purpose, the spring member is provided with another arm or extension Hl of inverted trough shape with oppositely inclined portions l! and l2 which tend to urge the coin or token into upright position to engage in the crest of the arm or extension l0. This crest of this extension slopes downwardly in the direction of movement of the coin, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and d, so that as the coin moves under the extension or arm 7G, it is yieldingly pressed downwardly by this resilient extension, toward the discharge slot #3i in the pan, and when the coin arrives in the position shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 4, the pressure of the arm or extension 'le will project the coin downwardly through the coin discharge slot di. lt will be noted that the extensions e@ and EG both serve and assist in holding the coin in upright position in addition to performing their other functions which have been described.

rlhe spring member t@ is preferably also provided with means for preventing an article in addition to the one in an article pocket from becoming jammed or locked in the upper end of the pocket and also for covering that pocket in the article carrier from which an article is discharged, so that not more than one article will pass from the magazine through this pocket at one time. For this purpose, the spring member is provided with an integral roof-shaped part 73, the downwardly sloping portion 'ld of which forms a delector for moving other articles or balls out of the upper ends of pockets which already contain an article. The inclination of this downwardly extending part of the roofshaped portion of the spring member serves to gently raise any article which has partly entered a pocket above another article, and since the lower edge of the inclined part engages any article or articles resting on another article in a pocket well below the center of the articles, such articles will be elevated above the article pocket without damaging or chipping such article or articles. For this purpose, the lower edge of the sloping portion 14 is curved so that it will just clear the articles which are properly located in the pockets.

The spring member serves the further purpose` of preventing tampering with the machine and removing articles therefrom without inserting coins into the machine. This is accomplished by making the roof-shaped part 13 of such height that the outer portion of the peak thereof is in contact with or in close proximity to an inside collar 15 of the machine, see particularly Fig. 1. This roof-shaped part is over the discharge chute I2, and consequently, if a curved bar or rod is inserted through the chute I2 and an article pocket 52 and is pressed upwardly against the under face of the spring member 40, this member cannot be deformed into such shape as to bend the detent arm 65 upwardly so that the pin B6 will be out of engagement with the article carrier. Such deformation of the spring member is resisted by engagement by the peak of the inside collar 15.

The construction described has the advantage that a single integral spring member serves all these different functions and this member may be formed by punching, stamping and forming operations, the only added part being the pin 66, which may be readily applied to the end of the arm 65.

Above the parts which have already been described is arranged the inside collar 15 which is of annular shape having a large central opening bounded by an upwardly extending iiange 16 which is adapted to engage the inner lower edge of a bead 11 formed at the lower end of a bowl 18 which may be made of glass and which forms a magazine for containing the articles to be vended. The collar extends into suiciently close proximity to the article carrier 50 so that the articles may enter into the pockets 52 thereof but cannot enter the space beneath the collar and are thus kept out of engagement with parts of the coin actuated mechanism. This inside collar may be positioned on the upper edge of the side wall I of the base by any suitable means, and in the construction shown for this purpose, I have provided the inside collar 15 with a tongue 80 preferably formed integral therewith, the tongue in the construction shown being formed of a part of the metal cut out of the collar to form an aperture 8| therein. The side wall i0 of the base is provided with an upwardly extending projection 82, which has a slit therein formed to receive the tongue 88. This projection serves the additional purpose of correctly locating the pan 25, and for this purpose, the outwardly extend-` ing flange 21 of the upright annular wall 26 of the pan is notched or cut away sufficiently to receive this projection. The edges of the cutaway portion thus prevent rotating of the pan relatively to the upright wall IU of the base, and thus secure the apertures of the pan in correct relation tootherparts of the mechanism.

VThe inner'collar 15 is also provided at its periphery with a downwardly extending flange 83 which telescopes about the upper edge of the side wall I0 of the base, and the wall I0 is provided with slight outwardly extending portions 84, see Fig. 2, two such portions 84 being shown in the construction illustrated. The ange 83 of the inside collar is forced over these slight projections 84 of the side wall i8 so that the inside collar is positively held on the side wall I0 by the tongue 8U thereof and is frictionally held in place by the projections 84 engaging the inside surface of the iiange 83 of the inside collar, thus frictionally holding the inside collar in place while the bowl or article magazine is removed from the machine for replenishing the supply of articles. The inside collar is also provided with a coin guide channel or passage. In the construction illustrated for this purpose, this coin guide passage is formed by means of a U-shaped metal member 81, Fig. 3, suitably secured to the inside collar, and extending into alignment with the coin receptacle 41 of the coin carrier. One side of the U-shaped coin passage 81 is open, namely, the left side in Fig. 3, so that the coin may pass to the left out of this coin passage when the coin carrier is actuated. Because of the engagement of the tongue 88 of the inside collar with the slot in the projection 8?. of the side wall l0 of the base, the inside collar will be positioned so that the coin guide 81 is in correct relation to the coin receptacle 61 of the coin carrier.

The upper end of the base of the machine is closed by means of an outside collar 98 which is in the form of e. split ring having an upwardly and inwardly inclined iiange 9| formed to engage the outer surface of the bead or enlargement 11 of the article magazine 18, as clearly shown in Fig. l. The split collar may be expanded to iit the upwardly extending flange 9i around the enlargement of the magazine and the two ends of the split collar may be secured together by means of a suitable locking plate 92, one end of which is secured to the outside collar 9| at one side of the split therein, and the other end of which may be moved into locking engagement with the collar at the other side of the split therein in any suitable manner (not shown). The outside collar has a downwardly extending flange 94 which forms a skirt which extends around the outer flange 83 of the inside collar. The outside collar is provided at the side thereof substantially diametrically opposite to the locking plate 92 with an inwardly extending lug or projection 95, see Fig. l, which is formed to extend through slots formed in the cylindrical wall ID of the base and in the flange 26 of the pan. This projection 95, consequently, holds one side of the outside collar securely locked in place, and the other side of the collar is releasably locked by any suitable key controlled device so that the apparatus can. only be opened by an authorized person having the necessary key. This locking device may be of any suitable construction, and preferably includes a locking bar 91 having the upper end thereof enlarged or turned over as indicated at 98. This bar passes through a hole or slot formed in the locking plate 92 and through a registering hole in the outside collar 94 and also extends through the hole 8| of the inside cover and a hole 99 in the pan 25. The portion of the locking bar below the pan is provided with notches, corresponding to threads in the opposite edge portions thereof. The threaded or notched portion of the locking bar is adapted to cooperate with internal threads formed in a cylindrical locking member |89, which is rotatably mounted. on a lock housing |02 rigidly secured to a cap |33 formed to enter into a hole in the bottom I of the base. Preferably the cap |93 has a lateral projection Illea entering into a corresponding recess or keyway in the hole in the base ii, to hold the cap its against turning. The lock housing |02 may contain suitable tumblers or other locking means (not shown) which hold the internally threaded cylinder itt against rotation, except when a key |35 is inserted into the lock housing. When the key is inserted, the internally threaded cylinder mi! may be turned by means of the key in either direction so that this cylinder may be threaded on or unscrewed from the locking bar 9?. When the locking bar has been drawn downwardly to the desired extent by turning the locking member iii@ by means ci tbe lzey H25, to secure the outside cover in place, the key may be removed, Whereupon the threaded cylinder |63 is held against turning relatively to the cap m3, and the cap in turn is lied e ist turning by the engagement of the projection its thereof in the recess formed in the base |i. When it is desired to open the machine, the key H35 is again inserted and may be turned in a direction to unscrew the locking bar from engagement with the threaded cylinder Idil, whereupon the cylinder leu, the lock housing mit and the cap |93 may moved downwardly out of engagement i i the base. coins collected in the base can then be removed through the hole in the bottom I| of the base which is normally closed by the cap |53, and by removing the locking bar 91, the outside collar Eid and the magazine 18 for the articles .may be removed, whereupon the supply of articles in the magazine may be replenished. The base of the machine may then be inverted and placed upon the inverted magazine. After the outside collar has been replaced on the machine, the locking bar lid inserted through the various apertures. the hollow threaded cylinder mi? again moved into engagement with the locking bar and turned by means of the key until the locking bar the cap its are returned to their operative positions.

The locking bar 9'! preferably has a long threaded part and the cylinder It@ is also long enough. to receive most of the threaded part of the locking bar. rlhis is done not only to provide ample strength to prevent stripping the lock- 'ing bar from the cylinder, but also to make it possible to move the cap |03 dir ctly into enwith the base ii of the machine, or to lock the machine itself to a support on which it may rest. The cap preferably has a lower vJiamre lds which may engage the bottom plate il of the base of the machine, or a supporting plate iii? shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, which may be a part of a standard on which the machine is mounted, This plate lill is shown as extending within the recessed bottom portion of the machine and is provided with a hole with a keyway or notch into which the cap and the projection |534 thereof may enter. Consequently, the lock be used not only to lock the parts of the machine together, but also to lock the machine to a base or support. It will be obvious that if the support has a plate larger than the plate im, so that the bottom of the turned-down edge oi the plate of the base rests upon such plate, the threaded portions of the locking bar l may be made by those skilled in the art i n the principle and scope of this invention e ed in the appended claims.

claim as my invention:

i. In a vending machine including a base, a pan mounted thereon, a movable coin carrier, an article carrier, and a central post about which said coin carrier swings and about which said article carrier rotates, that improvement which comprises a spring member mounted above said article carrier and having a detent for holding said article carrier against rotation except when actuated by a coin, said spring member having a part secured to said post and another part interlocked with said pan for holding said spring member in iiXed relation to said machine, a collar formed to be secured to said base and extending over said article carrier and said spring member to said base, said spring member having an upwardly extending part spaced from said detent and engaging said collar for preventing upward movement of said spring member when said collar is secured to said base.

2. in a vending machine including a pan mounted thereon, a movable coin carrier, an article carrier having pockets for articles to be discharged from the machine, that improvement which comprises a spring member mounted above said article carrier and having a part engaging said pan to hold said spring member against rotation, sai-d spring member having an integrally formed detent arm cooperating with said article carrier to hold said article carrier against rotation, said detent arm having an extension formed thereon projecting over the path of movement of a coin for raising said detent arm to release said article carrier when a coin is moved into engagement with said extension, said spring member also having a roof-shaped part arranged in spaced relation to said detent arm and extending over said article carrier and including an inclined wall, the lower portion of which extends into close proximity to the upper parts of articles in said pockets ci said article carrier, to deflect upwardly from said article carrier any articles resting on the articles in said pockets, a collar mounted on said machine above said -article carrier and said spring member and extending into close proximity to the back of said roof portion of said spring member for holding said roof-shaped part of said spring member against upward deflection in a direction to release said detent arm from engagement with said article carrier.

3. ln a vending machine having a base forming a receptacle, said base including an upright substantially cylindrical wall having an upwardly extending projection thereon provided with a substantially horizontal slot, said wall also having outwardly extending projections formed thereon in spaced relation to said upwardly extending projecton, a pan arranged within the upper portion of said base and having ran outwardly extending iiange resting on the upper edge of said wall of said base, said pan being provided with a hole through which articles may be discharged from said machine and with a slot through which coins may drop into said receptacle, said flange of said pan having a recess therein into which said projection of said base Wall may enter for locating said pan on said base with said hole and said slot in correct relation to said machine, an inside collar formed to be secured to the upper end of said wall of said base and having a downwardly extending flange formed to telescope about the upper portion of the outer surface of said Wall, said collar having `an aperture therein through which said upwardly extending projection passes, said collar also having an inwardly extending tongue formed to extend into said slot of said upwardly extending projection, the flange of said collar being of such size as to fit snugly against said outwardly extending projections to frictionally hold said collar on said Wall and to hold said pan in locked relation to said base.

4. A vending machine according to claim 3 and including a closing member for the receptacle, said closing member and said base having apertures in alinement with said aperture of said 12 cover member, and locking means extending through said alined apertures for locking said closing member to said base.

FORD S. MASON.

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